WASHINGTON – Howard University today announced it is one of four recipients of Apple’s new Innovation Grant, designed to support colleges of engineering in historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to develop their silicon and hardware engineering curriculum in partnership with Apple’s experts. The grant was announced this year as part of Apple’s Racial Equity and Justice Initiative.

The success ​of Howard’s proposal for the Apple Innovation Grant was the product of a team comprised of computer engineering faculty, including Michaela Amoo, Ph.D., who is the team lead; Hassan Salmani, Ph.D.; and the chair of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Ahmed Rubaai, Ph.D. Associate deans Kimberly Jones, Ph.D., and Moses Garuba, Ph.D., also ​contributed to this success.

“We are truly excited to partner with Apple in the development of a new core area of expertise in our computer engineering program,” said Dean John M. M. Anderson, Ph.D., College of Engineering and Architecture. “Apple will collaborate closely with our computer engineering faculty to strengthen our course offerings and laboratory capabilities ​in the areas of integrated circuit design, fabrication and testing. Additionally, through design projects and internships, our students will have the opportunity to engage with Apple engineers and benefit greatly from their knowledge, ​experience and mentorship.”

Howard University’s Innovation Grant will provide funding and other support from Apple for lab space, guest lectures, scholarships and fellowships, faculty training, curriculum support, and more. The grant is part of Apple’s broader New Silicon Initiative, which is designed to inspire and prepare students to pursue careers in cutting-edge and fast-growing hardware engineering fields.

“The HBCU community is home to incredible Black talent across disciplines, and we are thrilled to work alongside Howard University’ College of Engineering and Architecture to further develop its hardware engineering program,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives. “We know so many jobs of the future will be in hardware and silicon engineering, and we want to ensure HBCU students have access to the learning opportunities to be part of those teams."

About Howard University

Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 13 schools and colleges. Students pursue more than 140 programs of study leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University operates with a commitment to Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced one Schwarzman Scholar, three Marshall Scholars, four Rhodes Scholars, 12 Truman Scholars, 25 Pickering Fellows and more than 165 Fulbright recipients. Howard also produces more on-campus African-American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. For more information on Howard University, visit www.howard.edu.